Friends, this has been quite a semester, for tons of reasons, none of which are worth going into here. Lots of people have wanted my attention, and I'm drained. One situation in particular has been hard: I took a friend to rehab.
She is 21, and has been using actively since she was 12. She is on Day 18 of sobriety, and she is alternately loving it and hating it. She's known for a long time it was rehab or death, and I agree with her wholeheartedly. I was waiting for the obit in the paper.
How did she get there? A desire not to die, and a book: BEAUTIFUL, by Amy Reed. That book is with her at rehab. I read it this last summer and told her about it, because BEAUTIFUL helped me understand why she used. Once she read it, BEAUTIFUL helped my friend understand how I felt about her drug/alcohol use, and how sad I was.
I love it when books do work like this. It's confirmation that words can help and heal, and that books will never die as an art form.
(could she have done this with a Kindle? maybe. but electronics aren't allowed at rehab, so the Kindle would have stayed home, ha ha!)
Go write and read those helpful books, OK? Buy them for Christmas presents! Give an addict a copy of BEAUTIFUL, and see if it doesn't help.
Tree drawing swiped from here.
Tree drawing = she is a huge tree lover.
ReplyDeleteKristin, your post gave me chills. Thank you so much. It's feedback like this that reminds me I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. All my love to your brave friend.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Amy
This is a most wonderful post. Amy must be so proud. This is what writers dream of...to have their books touch someone else.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a heartfelt and beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliment, Bookaholic. Bee, you are right--it's why *I* write, anyway--writers do dream of helping someone's life have just a little more light in it. Amy, XXOO to you for your wonderful work!
ReplyDeleteThank you for encouraging your friend to go into rehab, Kirstin. People in this situation who aim to better themselves end up affecting their friends, families, and communities in positive ways, as well.
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